Libya interventionist Samantha Power leaving White House

Samantha Power is leaving her post as the White House's top human rights official, the White House announced Monday.

As director of the Office of Multilateral Affairs and Human Rights at the National Security Council, Power was one of the leading voices urging military intervention against Moammar Gadhafi's regime in Libya in 2011.

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She was named as the first chairwoman of a presidential Atrocities Prevention Board created that year to coordinate U.S. efforts to prevent genocide, but has endorsed the president's cautious approach to the crisis in Syria.

“After four years at the White House, Samantha will be leaving the NSC later this month and will spend some well-deserved time with [her husband] Cass and her two small children, Declan (3) and Rian (eight months),” said NSC spokesman Tommy Vietor. “While she is likely to return to the administration, no decisions have been made on her next steps.

“Samantha has been a powerful voice in this administration and a long-time friend and adviser to the President. We will miss her at the NSC, and we look forward to continuing the President’s work promoting human rights and dignity.”

Power is considered the favorite to take over as U.S. ambassador to the United Nations if Susan Rice gets tapped for another role at the White House. She was a senior adviser to then-Illinois Sen. Obama's 2008 presidential run, but resigned after calling Hillary Clinton a “monster.”

Power's departure was first reported by The Washington Post. Her husband, Cass Sunstein, departed his role as administrator of the White House Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs last August.